Coach Lawrence ready to start new chapter

Leston Paul and Mekeil Williams are doubtful for Trinidad and Tobago’s clash against Mexico tomorrow, in their 2018 FIFA World Cup CONCACAF Zone Final Round qualifier, at San Luis Potosi, Mexico, due to illness and injury respectively.

However, TT coach Dennis Lawrence is ready to start a new chapter as he looks beyond the failed Russia 2018 campaign.

TT are bottom of the six-team group with three points from eight games, trailing the already-qualified Mexico (18 points), Costa Rica (15), Panama (10), United States and Honduras (nine apiece).

Lawrence, in an interview conducted by Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) media consultant Wayne Cunningham yesterday, said, “We had a situation with a couple of the boys going down with some sort of virus. Leston Paul is still struggling a bit (but) a couple of the others have managed to overcome it.

“We have the situation with Mekeil Williams who came in injured from Colorado (he plays with the Rapids) from the last game that he played,” Lawrence continued. “We’re still monitoring that. It doesn’t look the best at the moment for Mekeil. We’re still working on Leston to see if he recovers in time. Apart from that, all the other boys are in good condition.”

As far as the Mexico game is concerned, Lawrence said, “We need to start thinking about the future. We need to start thinking about going ahead and putting together our developmental structure to ensure that we don’t end up in this type of situation again.

“It’s a very difficult place to come. We already know where Mexico are in the CONCACAF region, a very powerful team. We need to make sure we’re very organised and we’re going to give it our best shot,” added the ex-TT central defender.

Asked about the state of the team thus far, Lawrence replied, “The boys have settled in quite well. The boys have conducted themselves in the right way (since) we’ve been here.”

Lawrence noted that he has decided the make-up of his starting XI. “The injury concern and the illness has affected in terms of what I got in my head but I’m more or less there in terms of the starting XI for the game.”

He also pointed out that he will announce his team captain moments before the 9.30 pm kick-off.